Cabinet glove

ABSTRACT

A cabinet glove. The cabinet glove includes a sleeve portion having an open end portion and a hand covering portion. A clamp is constrained to the end of the sleeve portion. The clamp holds the end portion of the cabinet glove open to ease assembly of the cabinet glove to an annular mounting flange of a cabinet.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to cabinet gloves. Inparticular, the present invention relates to a cabinet glove with aclamp constrained to an end portion of the glove that holds the end ofthe glove open.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Cabinet gloves are used in glass bead cabinets and dry blastcabinets. These cabinets typically include a flange that extends fromthe cabinet that an open end of the glove is secured around. Similargloves are also used in clean rooms, baby incubators and biologicalcontainment units.

[0003] Prior art cabinet gloves are constructed such that the clampwhich holds the glove to the cabinet flange is separate from the gloveitself. Existing cabinet gloves with separate clamps are difficult toassemble to the cabinet flange. To install an existing cabinet glove,the end of the glove is held open by an installer so that it can beplaced over the cabinet flange. The end of the cabinet glove is held onthe flange by an installer while a clamp is placed over the end of thecabinet glove and cabinet flange. While holding the end of the glove andthe clamp on the flange, the clamp is tightened to the flange. As isapparent, installation of existing cabinet gloves by a single installeris difficult.

[0004] There is a need for a cabinet glove with a clamp secured to theend of the glove that holds the end of the glove open duringinstallation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention concerns a cabinet glove. The cabinet gloveincludes a sleeve portion and a hand covering portion. The end of thesleeve portion defines an opening of the glove. A clamp is constrainedto the end portion of the glove. The clamp holds the end portion of thecabinet glove open.

[0006] The clamp may be constrained to the open end of the glove in avariety of different ways. For example, the clamp may be constrained ina pocket on the open end of the glove. Such a pocket may be defined by apiece of material stitched to the end of the glove adjacent to first andsecond sides of the clamp or may be defined by a folded over portion ofthe glove end that is stitched to the sleeve portion adjacent to oneside of the clamp. In one embodiment, the clamp is constrained to theend portion by a rigid member, such as a piece of plastic, connected tothe end portion. In one embodiment, the clamp is glued to the open endof the glove. In one embodiment, the clamp maintains the opening in acircular shape.

[0007] In one embodiment, the cabinet glove is assembled to an annularmounting flange that extends from a cabinet. The clamp constrained tothe end of the glove holds the end of the glove open and secures theglove to the flange.

[0008] In one embodiment, the disclosed cabinet glove is used in amethod of attaching a cabinet glove to the mounting flange of a cabinet.In the method, the clamp is secured to the end portion of the glove tohold the end of the glove open. The end portion of the cabinet glove isplaced over the mounting flange of the cabinet. The clamp is tightenedto secure the end portion to the mounting flange.

[0009] Additional features of the invention will become apparent and afuller understanding will be obtained by reading the following detaileddescription in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a cabinet glove embodying thepresent invention attached to a flange inside a cabinet;

[0011]FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a cabinet glove embodying thepresent invention;

[0012]FIG. 3 is a partial elevational view of a cabinet glove showing anopen end portion of the cabinet glove;

[0013]FIG. 4 is a partial elevational view of a cabinet glove showing anopen end portion of the cabinet glove;

[0014]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cabinet glove showing an openend portion of the cabinet glove;

[0015]FIG. 6A is a view illustrating a portion of the open end of thecabinet glove as indicated in FIG. 4;

[0016]FIG. 6B is a partial view similar to FIG. 6A illustrating aportion of the open end of a cabinet glove of an alternate embodiment;

[0017]FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of a cabinet glove of oneembodiment being assembled to an annular glove mounting flange of acabinet;

[0018]FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of a cabinet glove of oneembodiment being assembled to an annular glove mounting flange of acabinet; and

[0019]FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of a cabinet glove of oneembodiment being assembled to an annular glove mounting flange of acabinet;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The present disclosure concerns a cabinet glove 10 including asleeve portion 12 and a hand covering portion 14. An end portion 16 ofthe sleeve portion 12 defines an opening 18 of the glove 10. A clamp 20is attached to or constrained with respect to the end portion 16 of thesleeve 12. The clamp 20 holds the end of the cabinet glove open. In theillustrated embodiment, the clamp 20 maintains the opening 18 in acircular shape.

[0021] In the illustrated embodiment, sleeve portion 12 is made from anylon material, such as readily available nylon backpack material. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the hand covering portion 14 is made fromneoprene. It should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art thatany combination of materials could be used to construct the sleeveportion 12 and hand covering portion 14. For example, the sleeve portion12 and the hand covering portion 14 could both be made from neoprene.

[0022] The illustrated clamp 20 is a readily available adjustable hoseclamp. It should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art thatany type of clamp that maintains the end portion 16 in an open conditionfor installation can be used.

[0023] The clamp can be attached to or constrained with respect to theend portion 16 in many different ways. For example, FIGS. 1-7 illustratethe clamp 20 constrained in a pocket 22 formed on the end portion 16that constrains said clamp to the end portion. In the embodimentillustrated by FIG. 6A, the pocket 22 is defined by a piece of material24. A first row 26 of stitches secure the piece of material to the endportion 16 adjacent to a first side 28 of the clamp. A second row 30 ofstitches secure the piece of material 24 to the end portion 16 adjacentto a second side 32 of the clamp 20. In the illustrated embodiment, asingle pocket is included that extends around a large portion of theopen end of the glove 10.

[0024] In an alternate embodiment (not shown), a plurality of discretepockets 22 or loops are included about the periphery of the open end ofthe glove for constraining the clamp 20 to the end portion. The discretepockets 22 or loops are similar to belt loops on conventional pants.

[0025] In the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 6B, the pocket 22 isdefined by a folded over portion 34 of the end portion 16. A row ofstitches 36 secure the folded over portion 34 to the end portion 16adjacent to the side 32 of the clamp 20.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 8, in one embodiment the clamp 20 isconstrained to the end portion 16 by a rigid member 38 connected to theend portion 16. In the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 8, the rigidmember 38 is sewn on around the open end 16 of the cabinet glove 10 by arow of stitches 40. The edge 42 of the rigid member nearest to the handcovering portion 14 is free to move. In this embodiment, the rigidmember maintains the end portion 16 in an open condition forinstallation. In the exemplary embodiment, the rigid member 38 is madefrom plastic. In this embodiment, the clamp 20 is pulled over the handcovering portion 14 of the cabinet glove 10 and into engagement with therigid member 38 sewn to the open end 16 of the cabinet glove. The rigidmember 38 constrains the clamp 20 against movement past the end portion16 while the cabinet glove is assembled to an annular flange 44extending from an opening 46 of the cabinet 48.

[0027] In one embodiment, illustrated by FIG. 9, a deposit of glue 50secures the clamp 20 to the end portion 16 of the glove 10. The clampmaintains the end portion 16 in an open condition for installation.

[0028] In the embodiments illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 7-9, the cabinetglove 10 is assembled to a cabinet 48. The illustrated cabinet 48includes an annular mounting flange 44 extending from an opening 46 ofthe cabinet 48. The clamp 20 constrained to the end portion 16 of theglove 10 holds the end portion 16 open to ease assembly onto themounting flange 44. The end portion 16 is disposed around the mountingflange 44 and secured to the mounting flange by the clamp.

[0029] Assembly of the disclosed cabinet glove 10 with an attached orconstrained clamp 10 is much easier than assembly of existing cabinetgloves to a cabinet using separate unconstrained clamps. In theembodiments illustrated by FIGS. 1-7 and 9, the clamp 20 is securedagainst substantial longitudinal movement relative to the end portion 16of the sleeve portion 12 to hold the end portion 16 of the cabinet gloveopen. In the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 8, the rigid member 38 holdsthe end portion open and constrains the clamp against longitudinalmovement past the end portion 16. In each embodiment, the end portion 16of the cabinet glove 10 can easily be placed over the mounting flange 44of the cabinet 10 since the end portion 16 is held open. By holding theclamp 10 on the mounting flange 44, the open end 16 is held on themounting flange 44. The clamp is simply tightened to secure the endportion 16 to the mounting flange 44.

[0030] Although the present invention has been described with a degreeof particularity, it is the intent that the invention include allmodifications and alterations falling within the spirit or scope of theappended claims.

I claim:
 1. In a cabinet glove including a sleeve portion having an endportion that defines an opening of the glove and a hand coveringportion, wherein the improvement comprises a clamp constrained to theend portion of the sleeve portion such that movement of said clamp pastsaid end portion is prevented and said clamp holds the end portion ofthe cabinet glove open.
 2. The cabinet glove of claim 1 wherein saidclamp maintains said opening in a circular shape.
 3. The cabinet gloveof claim 1 further comprising a pocket on said end portion thatconstrains said clamp to said end portion.
 4. The cabinet glove of claim3 wherein said pocket is defined by a piece of material stitched to saidend portion adjacent to first and second sides of said clamp.
 5. Thecabinet clove of claim 3 wherein said pocket is defined by a folded overportion of said end portion that is stitched to said sleeve portionadjacent to a side of said clamp.
 6. The cabinet glove of claim 1wherein said clamp is constrained to said end portion by a rigid memberconnected to said end portion.
 7. The cabinet glove of claim 1 whereinsaid clamp is glued to said end portion.
 8. A method of attaching acabinet glove including a sleeve portion having an end portion thatdefines an opening to a glove mounting flange of a cabinet, comprising:a) securing a clamp to the end portion of the sleeve portion to hold theend portion of the cabinet glove open; b) placing the end portion of thecabinet glove over the mounting flange of the cabinet; and c) tighteningsaid clamp to secure said end portion to said mounting flange.
 9. Themethod of claim 8 further comprising maintaining said opening in acircular shape with said clamp.
 10. The method of claim 8 wherein saidclamp is secured to said end portion by forming a pocket on said endportion and inserting said clamp into said pocket.
 11. The method ofclaim 8 wherein said clamp is secured to said end portion by a rigidmember connected to said end portion.
 12. The method of claim 8 whereinsaid clamp is glued to said end portion.
 13. A cabinet and cabinet gloveassembly, comprising: a) a cabinet; b) an annular mounting flangeextending from said cabinet; c) a cabinet glove including a sleeveportion having an end portion that defines an opening of the glove and ahand covering portion; d) a clamp constrained to the end portion of thesleeve portion that holds the end portion of the cabinet glove open,said end portion disposed around said mounting flange and secured tosaid mounting flange by said clamp.
 14. The assembly of claim 13 whereinsaid clamp maintains said opening in a circular shape.
 15. The assemblyof claim 13 further comprising a pocket on said end portion thatconstrains said clamp to said end portion.
 16. The assembly of claim 13wherein said pocket is defined by a piece of material stitched to saidend portion adjacent to first and second sides of said clamp.
 17. Theassembly of claim 13 wherein said pocket is defined by a folded overportion of said end portion that is stitched to said sleeve portionadjacent to a side of said clamp.
 18. The assembly of claim 13 whereinsaid clamp is constrained to said end portion by a rigid memberconnected to said end portion.
 19. The cabinet glove of claim 13 whereinsaid clamp is glued to said end portion.